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REPORT on the COPEPODA collected in MALTESE 
SHAS by David Bruce, M.B., during 1886-7-8. 
By Isaac C. THomeson, F.L.S., F R.MS. 
With Plates VI., VII., VIII. and IX. 
[Read 13th April, 1888. ] 
THE collection which furnished the material from which 
this report is drawn up was summarized by Professor 
Herdman in Vol. I. Proceedings, of this Society. The 
material was obtained by means of the tow-net by Dr. 
Bruce, while stationed as Surgeon (a post which he still 
holds) at Valetta, Malta, the mass being kindly placed by 
him at the disposal of this Society. 
In addition to the fifty-seven bottles referred to by 
Prof. Herdman, I have received from Dr. Bruce during 
the present year two bottles containing Copepoda exclu- 
sively. All the animals were transferred immediately after 
capture into a fluid composed of equal parts of alcohol, 
water, and glycerine, with one per cent of carbolic acid 
added. 
As each bottle represents a separate gathering, and the 
operation of collecting extends throughout an entire year, 
the collection may be considered thoroughly representative 
of the marine surface fauna of Malta; and as might be 
expected the Copepoda contained therein vary considerably 
according to temperature and other causes; some species 
being found abundantly in one or more bottles and 
altogether absent from the rest. 
The task of examining and sorting out under the 
microscope very many thousands of these minute crustacea 
has been necessarily somewhat slow and tedious, and in 
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